Liquid applicator for a surface



Dec. 16, 1969 J ROSENDALL ET AL 3,484,171

LIQUID APPLIGATOR FOR A SURFACE Filed Jan. 2, 1968 FHLG INVENTORS HENRY ROSENDALL MARTIN ROBERT HUGHES ROBERT A. YONKERS Attorneys United States Patent 3,484,171 LIQUID APPLICATOR FOR A SURFACE Henry J. Rosendall and Martin Robert Hughes, Grand Rapids, and Robert A. Yonkers, Grandville, Mich.,

assiguors to Bissell Inc, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Jan. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 694,987 Int. Cl. A471 13/16 US. Cl. 401-206 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid container is frictionally fit into the open lower end of a retaining housing disposed on the lower end of a handle. The lower end of the container is threaded into a rectangular base having a central valve and actuator, disposed within a boss member on the base. A pad is utilized consisting of three tiers including a fibrous spreader surface bonded to the underside of a resilient foam pad which in turn has a styrene backing sheet adhered to its top surface. The pad has a cut-away portion at its center which cut-out portion is shaped to provide a snap fit by the styrene backing over the boss member and to also provide a reservoir and a fluid dispensing opening into which the valve dispenses fluid when the pad is compressed to bring the actuator into forceable contact with the floor.

This invention relates to a surface treating device and more particularly to an apparatus for applying wax or other fluid to a work surface such as a floor.

Many floor treating devices have been developed over the years. They have usually either involved complex and expensive machinery, both difficult to manufacture and diflicult for inexperienced persons to use, or they have involved simple devices which were inconvenient to operate and incapable of high quality performance.

One major diificulty with prior art devices was the inconvenient manner of dispensing the wax or cleaning fluid to the working surface for purposes of being distributed. The only successful method was to dispense the fluid and to spread it in two separate steps. Those who attempted to develop means by which the fluid was dispensed as it was spread experienced problems with uneven application and their devices involved rather complicated and heavy machinery. Parts wore out and were diffcult to maintain in an operable condition.

The present invention solves th aforementioned problerns and provides a sophisticated device which is inexpensive to produce. The device will dispense the desired fluid in response to the usual moving of the device over a work surface. The applicator pad is durable and easily removable, and spreads fluid evenly and generally simultaneously with dispensing thereof.

More specifically in accordance with the invention, a handle is provided with a downwardly extending housing which receives, as by a frictional fit, a container which provides a source of liquid to be disposed. An applicator head is secured to the downwardly facing mouth of the container and a dispensing valve is disposed in a boss member having a recess around its exterior and depending from the application head. The valve has an actuator which is operated by forceable contact with the working surface. The applicator pad of the device consists of three laminations: a fibrous spreading surfac bonded to a resilient foamy center pad which is bonded on its top surface to a thin nonresilient but flexible backing sheet. The pad has a central cut-out portion which serves to provide for a snap fit compling of the backing sheet over the boss member, and also to provide an opening 3,434,171 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 through which th valve is actuated. Side cut-out portions extend away from the central snap fit portion to provide a fluid reservoir.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the best mode presently contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the structure in FIGURE 1, taken at line 22;

FIG. 3 is a view taken generally at line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pad of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken at line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan View of the pad of the invention.

As shown in the drawing, the floor treating device comprises an elongated handle 1 having secured to the bottom end thereof a housing 2 which is open at its outer or lower end. Housing 2 is of substantially rigid material, such as metal or suitable plastic, and is shown as being generally rectangular in cross section, with substantially flat side walls 3 and convex outwardly curved front and rear walls 4.

Housing 2 is adapted to receive and hold a container 5 of any suitable liquid, such as detergent, wax or the like. Container 5 is generally in the form of a bottle which may normally be provided with a cap (not shown) which closes the threaded neck 6 thereof, and which may be stored in upright position on a shelf until it is ready for use.

It is contemplated that frictional contact retains container 5 in housing 2. For this purpose, container 5 is made from any suitable well-known flexible plastic material, such as polyethylene, and is formed with side walls 7 and front and rear walls 8 which compliment in cross section walls 3 and 4 of housing 2. That is, walls 7 are generally flat and walls 8 are convexly curved outwardly, and are of substantially the same outer dimensions as the inner dimensions of walls 3 and 4. Nevertheless, the relative dimensions should be such as to provid a tight press fit between the housing and container, with concave walls 8 being flexed inwardly slightly by walls 4 to provide a spring-like tightening effect against the housing.

In accordance with the invention, liquid is adapted to be dispensed from container 5. For this purpose, an applcator assembly 9 is provided, and which has a rigid base 10 with a threaded opening 11 adapted to threadably and sealingly receive neck 6 of container 5. Base 10 is shown as being of elongated rectangular construction, and is of generally inverted dish shape providing a top Wall 12 with a peripheral downwardly extending lip forming end lip portions 13 and side lip portions 14.

An opening is centrally disposed in top wall 12 of base 10 with a cylindrical boss 15 extending downwardly therefrom. Boss 15 has a downwardly extending rigid valve cap 16 suitably press fit or otherwise secured to the exterior thereof and of corresponding annular shape. The upper end of cap 16 is formed to provide an abutment such as an inclined shoulder 17, for purposes of providing a snap-fit coupling, to be described.

Valve cap 16 is provided with an opening 18 in its downward facing surface and a star shaped button actuator 19 protrudes therethrough for a predetermined maximum distance. The button actuator rests on a valve seat 20 within valve cap 16 and has a coil spring 21 attached to its top. Spring 21 is secured to a downwardly extending boss in base 10 to bias button actuator 19 downwardly.

When the applicator device is pressed suificiently downwardly against the Working surface, button actuator 19 moves upward against the biasing force of spring 21 and provides a space between the actuator and valve seat 20 to allow liquid from container 5 to flow through opening 18.

In accordance with the invention, an applicator pad 22 is provided for the unit. Pad 22 is shaped to correspond to the elongated rectangular dimensions of base and fits within lips 13 and 14 during operation. As shown, pad 22 comprises a fibrous spreader layer 23 forming the bottom applicator surface, a resilient foamy layer 24 forming the intermediate central portion, and a thin backing sheet 25 on its top surface. Spreader layer 23 is relatively thin and is preferably furry and made from a fibrous material such as flocked rayon or the like. Layer 23 is bonded to foamy layer 24 which is substantially greater in depth and may be of any spongy or foamy material such as polyurethane or cellulose sponge. Both layer 23 and layer 24 may have the capabiltiy of absorbing and retaining large amounts of liquid, such as floor wax. Foamy layer 24 may be desired to serve as onet immediate source of fluid to the spreader layer 23, and thus may have a relatively higher liquid absorbing capability. Spreader layer 23 is preferably soft and yet tough enough for long wear.

Backing sheet 25 is of a material, such as styrene, which is not resilient when compressive stresses are applied and is flexible when in thin sheets. Sheet 25 is secured to the top surface of intermediate layer 24 by suitable means such as cement.

Applicator pad 22 had a cut-away portion at its center serving to form a central fitting-opening 26 and a pair of opposed dispensing reservoir openings 27 extending longitudinally therefrom. Openings 26 and 27 together comprise a unitary cut-away portion extending longitudinally through pad 22, and provide a reservoir in cooperation with the working surface when the device is worked thereon.

To provide an opening complimenting the coupling, or valve cap 16 and boss 15, central opening 26 is generally annular with the diameter being slightly less than that of the valve cap 16, so that the edge portions of the opening can engage boss 15.

Openings 27 extend radially outward from opening 26 and generally parallel to the lengthwise dimension of pad 22. The flexure characteristics of pad 22 are governed by its least flexible layer, backing sheet 25, and by the cut-out portion. Pad 22 is aflixed to cap 16, which serves now as a coupling, by flexing pad 22 to deform opening 26 and forcing the opening over valve cap 16 until it snaps over shoulder 17 which acts as an abutment. Subsequent unflexing of the pad allows backing sheet 25 to fit snugly on boss and allows the upper portion of foamy layer 24 to fit against the valve cap 16, with edge portions of opening 26 engaging this coupling means, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2. Thus, applicator pad 22 may easily be snap fit over valve cap 16 and onto boss 15, and can be similarly removed for purposes of cleaning or replacement.

In operation, fluid is dispensed from container 5 by pressing downwardly on handle 1 until pad 22 is compressed sufliciently against the working surface so that button actuator 19 which protrudes downwardly from valve cap 16 and into the cut-away portion of the pad, engages the working surface and moves upwardly to release the liquid. The liquid will thus be dispensed through the coupling assembly, onto the working surface and into dispensing reservoir openings 27 thus distributing liquid to the exposed surrounding edge of both openings. By releasing the pressure and working the applicator as sembly back and forth in the usual reciprocal translation over the working surface, a portion of the dispensed liquid will work out of reservoirs 27 and onto spreader layer 23. to be spread over the working surface. Since reservoirs 27 extend for a distance lengthwise of pad 22, the fluid will be more readily spread over the entire lower surface of spreading layer 23 by the usual back and forth movement of the application process. Also, since foamy layer 24 absorbs fluid from reservoirs 27, part of the fluid will soak into layer 24 and work into spreader layer 23 from above, thus resulting in continued and even spreading or the fluid. During this operation, lips 13 and.14 and the snap fit of opening 26 hold the pad 22 in position against top wall 12 of applicator base 10. Upon completion of the operation, pad 22 may be flexed and pulled off of boss 15 and over valve cap 16 to remove it for cleaning.

The invention provides an improved floor treating device of simple and effective construction.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

We claim:

1. In an applicator device for applying liquid to a surface by reciprocal translation of the device thereover, the combination comprising:

(a) a head,

(b) a coupling extending from said head with said coupling having an opening therein,

(c) a resilient applicator pad having an opening extending therethrough, said pad opening having an edge portion releasably coupled to said coupling so that said pad opening is in communication With said coupling opening,

(d) said pad having a top and bottom and being attached to said coupling at the pad top,

(e) said pad comprising:

(1) a bottom layer of fibrous material for contact with the working surface,

(2) an intermediate liquid-absorbent resilient layer bonded to said bottom layer,

(3) and a thin non-compressible flexible top layer bonded to said intermediate layer,

(f) and means for dispensing liquid through said coupling and said openings so that it will pass into direct contact with the said surface,

(g) the said pad opening forming a liquid reservoir space with the edge around said opening exposed to the liquid when it is dispensed therethrough so that liquid will be absorbed into said intermediate layer from said opening.

2. The applicator of claim 1 wherein said coupling comprises:

(a) a hollow hub depending downwardly from said head,

(b) and a shoulder on said hub which retains such pad in place.

3. The applicator of claim 2 wherein said dispensing means includes:

(a) a valve disposed within said hub,

(b) and valve actuating means extending downwardly from said hub into said pad opening for engagement with the working surface during translation of the device thereover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 587,726 8/1897 Gibbs 401206 X 2,601,689 7/1952 Mallard 401-205 2,904,812 9/1959 Lee 401-206 2,979,757 4/1961 Smith 401-206 3,384,438 5/1968 Sherbondy 401l39 LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ,ERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent E6. 3,4e4,1'/1 Dated Dec. 16, 1969 Inventor(s) H. J. Rosendall et al It is certified that error appearsin the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

' Column 1 line 64, cancel "application" and substitute ---applicator'- Column 1, line '71, cancel "compling" and substitute ---coupling--- Column line 23, cancel "onet" and substitute ---one--- Column line 32, cancel "had" and substitute ---has-- Column 3, line 56, after "against" cancel "the Column line 54, cancel "such" and substitute --saic1-- SIGNED AND SEALED JUN 2 3 6 Atteat:

m a M. Flasher. In

wasting Officer WILLIAM E. saaum m.

Commissioner of Patents 

